


Always

by XtaticPearl



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AIs Are A Man's Best Friend, Adult Tony, Angst and Humor, Avengers Tower, Awesome Pepper Potts, BAMF Edwin Jarvis, Bot Feels, Bot Friends, Caretaking, Classic Cars, Endgame Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Good Parenting, Hurt Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Hurt Tony, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, Kid Tony, M/M, Minor Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa, POV JARVIS (Iron Man movies), Past Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Snarky Jarvis, Snarky Tony, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, Tony Stark Has A Heart, or rather, teen tony
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-15 01:05:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7199195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XtaticPearl/pseuds/XtaticPearl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The life, love, and legacy of Tony Stark from the eyes of a man, an AI and an android who came from a name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Edwin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SkiesStillBlye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkiesStillBlye/gifts).



> This started off as a fledgling for my love of Jarvis and then grew into something I had trouble keeping under control. Just know that I love Jarvis and that Jarvis loves you too if you remember to leave feedback ;)
> 
> P. S: Pepperony and Stony come in Chapter 2, just in case you're wondering :D

 

Edwin's first love was a rickety old cycle that his mother pushed him onto every evening, telling him to balance, _hold your balance honey_. As a 8 year old boy with more bones than flesh and less fortune than brains, he learnt pretty quickly and early in life to do just that : Balance. He held on to it like a cat holds on to its favorite cushion, digging in his claws and putting on a surly expression when parted from it. That was how he survived the War, his refugee love and marriage, his position as butler to a man rich in tangibility and poor in stability, and finally as a friend to people who ate besides revolvers and bullets. Balance was his keystone in life. Until the arrival of a hurricane in Mrs. Stark's womb.

"You must be calm, Mrs. Stark," he soothes, holding the pale woman's hand as she screams yet again, thrashing against the cotton sheets in time to the thunder rolling outside, "You must use your strength now. Once more, please try once more, push."

He can see her lips moving, eyes unsteady but trying to focus on him. Her husband is stuck in SSR, along with Ms. Carter and Mr. Sousa, and they cannot go out in the downpour outside. Ana scurries in, another bowl of water in hand, placing it quickly at the foot of the bed and getting to work.

"She needs to push harder, Edwin," she informs from under Mrs.Stark's gown, coming out to look at the fast tiring woman with worry in her eyes, "If she loses consciousness now -"

Edwin doesn't let her complete the sentence and squeezes the mother-to-be's hand once more, urging her to try even as he apologizes again and again, for reasons nobody knows and nobody cares to question. This is a fight he cannot fight for her and he sees it in her eyes, but he has sworn to protect this family and thus makes it his own fight. He breathes when she breathes, he exhales on her exhale and he lets her crush his fingers in exchange for another scream and push. Ana is muttering encouragement, positive in her every breath in contrast to the anxiousness rolling in Edwin's heartbeat. The babe is early, he knows, it might not survive.

He flings every promise he can to the thunder and lightning dashing against the windows. He offers the Gods his challenge in protecting this babe, this fighter who wishes to come screaming into a world drowning. He vows to protect it in birth and after, lets the words fall off his lips in prayer to the woman bearing down against her strength. He promises, he promises and he promises.

On that promise, a last mindless string of words, he hears Ana's gasp and then the real struggle begins. It is the womb against the cord and Edwin watches a mother bet her all, with lungs, hips and heart, into saving her child. Ana pulls slowly, steadily, the warm cloth and water waiting to cleanse a new soul. Edwin watches, holds, urges and prays. He makes a last ditch attempt and swears his life to this new set of heartbeat if the deaf Gods allow it.

So they do. In the flash of white lightning and between furious thunders comes screaming a red mass of heartbeat. Edwin doesn't look at him, soothing the mother in pushing out the aftermath with assurances as Ana whispers gratitude and joy, her nimble fingers making quick work of the mess after the babe. Edwin is busy with Mrs. Stark as Ana bustles around, cleaning, patting, covering and smiling. And then finally, finally Mrs. Stark holds out her hand weakly to have her victory handed over to her. She doesn't speak, overwhelmed by fatigue and love, settling for a gentle kiss to a soft head before she looks at Edwin to take over, already yielding to sleep.

Edwin becomes the first person to hold the babe in his arms properly, quietly observing the ten fingers and toes, nose, limbs and pink skin. And then he breathes out his first words, a promise and a name he has heard long through the seven months before.

"Master Anthony, welcome home."

*************

It isn't the footsteps that alert him. It is the sound of metal scraping against metal, a soft pull of grating, that make him put down the knife and wait patiently for the source of the sound to come around. He doesn't have to wait too much, something guaranteed by the restlessness and lack of patience by the boy, and before Edwin can finish counting till fifty he hears the small giggle.

Like always, his own lips break into a smile but he schools them into solemnity before slowly turning around and catching a head of black hair peeking from behind the kitchen door.

"Ah, Mr.Giggleston, the rodent is here," he declares solemnly and hears the giggle again, this time muffled against skin. Wiping his hands on the apron tied around his waist, he walks forward, looking everywhere but the place he knows the boy is hiding. "I wonder where he is, our masterful rat. I had hoped I would be able to tempt him to some cheese this time."

"I don't like cheese, Jarvis!" a small voice yelled from behind, laughter evident in the cracking tone.

"Why, I hear the dulcet tones of Mr. Giggleston! But where might he be?" Jarvis opened a cupboard and made a show of looking there. Within seconds he heard the footsteps coming towards him and then two small hands grabbed his knee.

"Jarvis! Jarvis! I'm here!" the hands were tugging at his pant and Edwin bit back a smile before looking down at wide brown eyes looking at him in mirth.

"Oh! Master Anthony! Have you seen Mr.Giggleston?" Edwin asked with raised eyebrows and the young boy's brows furrowed before he tugged at the man's pant again insistently.

"It's not a rat, it's me!" he corrects solemnly with chubby cheeks shaking at the insistent nod. Jarvis narrows his eyes before crouching down and patting the boy's head.

"Are you a rat, Master Anthony?"

"Noooo" the boy starts giggling when Edwin's fingers find the tickle spots on his small body, "Jar-vis, Jarvis stop! Stop!"

Finally when the laughter subsides, Edwin pats the boy's pajamas and shit once with an indulgent smile.

"Now, young man," Edwin pauses to let the kid snicker at the title, "what are you doing here past your bed time?"

At that Tony's eyes widen and a burst of excited energy almost makes him bounce in place as he grabs Edwin's hand and pulls him.

"I have to show you something! Come on, Jarvis!"

Edwin sighs and goes along when Tony is insistent and pleading with his big excited eyes. They walk across the corridor, Tony tripping over his own feet and Edwin gently guiding him with a hand holding the little palm. They walk through half the mansion, Edwin noting the light still on in Mr. Stark's study absently, before making a sheepish face when Tony tugged at his hand to go faster. Finally they reached Tony's bedroom, still lit by the soft bedside light, his Captain America blanket half thrown from the bed. 

"Look look look!" Tony leaves Edwin's hand and runs across his room, digging into his small tent for a minute before coming out with what looks like a circuit board. "Jarvis look! I made it! I made it m'self!" Tony waves the board in front of him, his eyes shining with happiness and what looks like hope. Edwin looks from the soft baby face of the precocious boy to the board in his hand.

He knows, in the past four years he has taken care of this young boy, he knows that he is watching a genius grow. He has seen it in the way Anthony lights up in comprehension when topics beyond his years are discussed in the foyer. He has seen it in the way his small fingers solve the picture puzzle faster than other children. He has seen it in the way the boy picks up words, tones, gestures and body language, sometimes unfortunately so. And yet, seeing him hold his first piece of electric marvel in his hands that should be clutching toys, Edwin feels pride bloom in his chest. He feels like he has won a challenge against the Gods who had almost not allowed this boy to come to him, to come to this family. He feels like the moon is smiling brighter at his Master Anthony from the window and he cannot stop the soft smile that overcomes his face.

"Oh, Master Anthony," he whispers in pride and awe, crouching to the boy's level and taking the board that the young hands offer, "This is most marvelous! How delightful!"

"You like it?" the boy asks, bouncing on the balls of his feet, eyes wide with fragile hope and Edwin doesn't care that he is just the butler or that this is his young master. He places the board down carefully, tracing its edges reverently before looking up and gently gathering the boy into a warm hug.

"It is the most special invention I have ever seen," he declares confidently, despite having lived with Howard Stark's genius. Tony is limp in his arms for a second, detecting the lie, before he surges forward and hugs back tight, taking whatever praise he can get. Edwin doesn't move as Tony clutched the back of his vest in sweaty little palms for a minute before relaxing and leaning back to smile toothily with shining eyes. Edwin doesn't have a camera but he vows to remember this moment forever, smiling back at his young master.

Later that night, as he is going back to his quarters, he hears yelling from Howard's study and stills. He isn't one to eavesdrop, especially not on his employer, but the words are clear even if in drunk stupor.

"Worthless! Absolutely worthless, boy!" followed by "Don't waste my time! Where's your mother? Maria! MARIA! Take away your son!"

He doesn't stay for long, leaving as soon as Mrs. Stark comes in to herd out a crying Anthony. The last visual Edwin sees before leaving is the tear-stained young face of a boy who should be loved. 

The next day he finds the circuit board in the trash. It is framed and hangs in Edwin's room till his last day.

**************

Edwin watches as the six-year-old boy runs across the mansion to the bathroom. He has just come back from a party with his father. Edwin follows the child and hears the sound of retching. He doesn't say a word, doesn't ask why or who, he simply brings a wet cloth and wipes the boy's face, murmuring encouragement to drink cool water.

He learns of the glass of scotch offered when the boy had complained of fear of the crowd. He learns of the words "Stark men don't cry" spoken by a drunk father to a child. He learns it all, but a tad too late. The damage has been made. A boy had been forced to become a man in his childhood.

That night Edwin dreams of Anthony living with him and Ana. He wills it to be true. It doesn't happen. So he keeps clean cloth and water ready from that day, frequent the bathroom as much as the kitchen.

He doubts his challenge to the Gods.

**************

The bags are packed and waiting in the main hall, dark against the marble floor. Edwin spends longer in the kitchen that day, viciously making every dessert he knows. He cannot change the events of today, cannot stop the now quiet child from leaving and he vents all that frustration against a boiling pot of milk. He sees Mrs. Stark make one last ditch attempt in persuading her husband to reconsider. Boarding school at 11, she reasons desperately, he isn't ready, he isn't willing. His friends are here, she says. Edwin knows how empty that is, he has seen the flashy older boys who stay around Anthony for Howard. He knows how Anthony has understood the lie but still holds on to it, for what is worse than nothing? His family is here, she says and Edwin wants to laugh emptily at it. He has seen bright eyes grow sunken, wit shrivel into sarcasm. He knows Anthony understand it too.

He dumps another stash of chocolate into the bag. Maybe that would sweeten the bitterness, he thinks sadly. Anthony doesn't hug anyone when he leaves. But when he meets Edwin, before getting out the door, he looks up and shoots a ghost of a smile.

"Hey Jarvis, you'll miss me?" he asks with a cocky smile, the first of many. Edwin puts on a small smile of his own in reply.

"Always, Master Anthony."

**************

"I'm sorry for your loss, Jarvis," Howard says uncomfortably as he stands beside Edwin's seat, looking like he was going to burst into rashes in the atmosphere, "You should-uh-you should take some time. Go visit your family. Clear your mind."

Edwin doesn't speak, staring ahead in his black suit, the white flowers of the funeral arrangement blurring his eyes. He doesn't have the heart to tell the man that he doesn't have any more family left. Ana was his only family and now she is gone. Edwin has never hated the cold more, having known his wife died through pneumonia while he had been out with Mr. Stark and Ms. Carter saving Manhattan again.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," he says mechanically, "I would like to continue my work though, sir."

"Of course, of course," Howard is a little too eager before he realizes and then becomes uncomfortable again, patting Edwin on the shoulder once, "I'll see you soon, Jarvis. Take care."

Peggy Carter visited too and she was more emotional, having been more connected to Ana. She offered help and a recommendation to take some time off herself, though she sounded genuinely worried as she looked at her husband. Edwin is glad she found a family, remembering all those times he and Ana had hinted at it for the smart woman. Even young Anthony, in his innocence, had asked why his Aunt Peggy hadn't married. He had even solemnly promised to marry her himself when he became as strong as Captain America.

God, thinking about young Anthony makes Edwin feel tired again. He hasn't come to the funeral, perhaps busy with his MIT exams. The butler knows that Anthony is a busy boy now, however much he might be worried about the drinking and the news of racing, hacking and such. He doesn't expect him to come visiting Ana's funeral, even if he remembers the times Ana had wistfully told him that if they had a son he would be like Anthony. He leaves the church with his wedding ring in his pocket.

That night he hears a knock on his door, at 2 a.m. He feels tired and weary but imagines an emergency at the mansion and stumbles out of bed, hurriedly opening the door in his robe and night-clothes.

A washed out but panicked looking 16 year old Anthony stares back at him. Edwin hardly finds his senses to ask him what happened or why he is here before Anthony drags him inside by the hand, ranting apologies like nobody's business. Finally Edwin stops the boy with a hand on his wrist and makes him turn around with a stern look.

"Master Anthony, what are you doing here?" he asks in concern but with a firm voice when he notices the tell-tale signs of deflection from the boy.

Anthony gapes at him like he just said the most stupid thing in the world before shutting his mouth and running a trembling hand through his hair.

"Fuck Jarvis!" he curses hoarsely and Edwin fights not to cringe at the easily thrown expletive, "How can you - are you okay?"

Edwin frowns. "I am fine, Master Anthony, but I must ask, are you alright?"

"Me?" Anthony repeats with a hysterical laugh, "I don't know, I mean I did just drive down here non-stop at break-neck speed but hey, that was fun," the boy waves a dismissive hand when Edwin's eyes narrow, "I come here thinking you need me, need us and here you're in your fucking pajamas and neat little cap, asking me if  _I'm_ okay?"

Edwin knows that the boy isn't the four year old who could cry freely but he really wishes this young teen would not mask his anger, pain and sadness with the stench of alcohol or sarcasm. He debates saying so but then looks closer and sees the fevered eyes, restlessly shifting around, like a hurt animal and realizes that the boy is scared and confused. Ana was right, he realizes in a rush of empathy and pain, if they had a son he would have been like Anthony. Maybe he was Anthony.

"Would you like some warm milk?" he asks instead, meeting the boy's eyes with a calm gaze. Anthony narrows his eyes sharply for a second before the sharpness clears and he smirks bitterly.

"Milk? Hell, Jarvis, what am I four?" he laughs gratingly but waves his hand in an approving gesture, "Sure, what the hell, milk. I'll have some."

Anthony does drink milk but adds some alcohol in it, daring Edwin to defy him with haughty eyes. Edwin wants to, he really does, but he doesn't. He knows a desperate defense when he sees one. He simply pours himself a glass of milk in company and drinks it with the boy quietly.

Anthony leaves the quarters after two hours, looking less panicked and more sure. Edwin doesn't wave back at the lazy wave he gets but nods with a soft smile as he watches his young master enter the mansion.

He doesn't really sleep that night but he doesn't have nightmares either.

**********

Edwin wasn't there when it happened. He had been away, in England to visit an old friend of his, when he received news that Howard Stark and Maria Stark had died in a car crash. By the time he came back, sparing no expense in his hurry to reach home, he finds a trashed mansion and a drunk Anthony in his shower.

Peggy Carter, who had been there till he came back, looks at him with such defeated eyes that he feels fear crawl in. He has never seen her look defeated but somehow, Anthony had managed to bring in that look in her ever-confident eyes.

The first two days after that are utter disasters. Anthony doesn't come out of his room, placing  _calls_ to the hall in demand for more alcohol or food. He snaps viciously, cruel words and jabs flowing easily through his lips, when Edwin or Peggy try to coax him out. One time when Peggy tried to command him, he lashed back, taunting her with her wounds of Captain America.

"It was because of you, wasn't it  _Ms. Carter_?" Anthony sneered, alcohol slurring his words but not the poison in his eyes, "It was because of you that he never gave up on that fucking bullshit search of his, wasn't it? Tell me,  _Peggy_ , why did Howard do so much for you? He didn't even look at my mother for long or properly, didn't give a shit about me or our family, but for you he was ready to throw it all away! He spent all his life searching for that dead man in the ice, just because you made him promise to keep looking! What was so special about you two, huh? What did you do for him that he was so... _dedicated_ to you?"

Edwin couldn't stop the slap even if he had tried. Peggy had been shaking with fury by the end and Anthony had fallen down with the force of her slap, collapsing in the pile of his own clothes as he laughed hysterically, blood peeking on the side of his mouth. Peggy must have noticed the blood too because Edwin saw her aborted attempt to move forward before she contained herself and turned around, walking away swiftly. 

"You got anything to say, Jarvis?" Anthony slurred, turning his bitter gaze to him. Edwin simply closed the door and left Anthony alone. After four hours, Edwin went back to the room and found a passed out Anthony, whom he put to sleep. He didn't contact Peggy after that and she didn't come back either, though she kept calling regularly to find out about Anthony's health. 

On the seventh day, a young black man arrived, looking a few years older than Anthony. He has a certain fire in his dark eyes, something that reminds Edwin of Anthony when he is sober. He introduces himself as James Rhodes, Anthony's classmate and friend. 

"He is currently indisposed, I am afraid," Edwin tells him quietly as he offers the young man some tea. He expects the boy to acquiesce and offer to come back later or pass on a message.

"Is he drunk?" James asks bluntly, no sign of disgust or weariness in his face. Edwin hesitates to reveal things that he would consider private and restricted from outsiders but this young man had just traveled all the way from his university to come visit and he doesn't fumble or flatter like other old friends of Anthony did.

"He's...trying to find the end of the bottle," Edwin tells him dryly, testing his reaction. James doesn't looked worried or annoyed. He actually looks  _sad_ , a look of someone who has heard or seen this situation many times before.

"Can you help?" Edwin gambles with a calculative look in his eyes and the boy returns the look before breathing in and hoisting the duffel bag higher on his shoulder.

"Yeah, let's go"

Edwin expects Anthony to lash out, to curse and taunt this new entrant too. What he doesn't expect is to see the intoxicated boy to still mid way to crawling into his bed, eyes wide and mouth open.

"Rhodey?" he whispers unsure, like he is hallucinating. Edwin watches as James puts down his bag, takes in the room and smirks at Anthony fondly.

"Nice carnival you've got set up here, man," he comments looking around the trashed room before fixing his eyes on Anthony, "Now what do you say we lose the hobo look and get you smelling human again, huh? I hear Mr. Jarvis here's got some pie and I'm telling you Tones, I'm not gonna skip it."

"You're always hungry, sourpatch," Anthony shoots patch in a half-wobbly voice but with a smirk.

"Damn right I am," James winks, "Body like mine, needs food!"

"You keep telling yourself that," Anthony sniffs airily before the facade cracks and the tears fill up his eyes again, "Rhodey..."

James stops posturing then and stalks forward with purpose, unmindful of the mess or the rolling bottles, before he sweeps up Anthony in a tight-hug. Edwin watches as Anthony stills before clutching back and burying his face in James' neck, muttering something that sounds like "They left, they fucking left..."

The last thing Edwin hears before letting them be is a strong whisper from James. 

"I know, I know, but I'm here. I'm here, Tones."

He doesn't know the boy well yet but he has already understood that this man will go on to become someone important in Anthony's life. And he can't find it in him to complain.

The two boys come down for lunch after a few hours, Anthony looking sober and James putting on a normal facade, silently hinting that Edwin follow suit. They sit and have a simple meal of home-made lasagna and Edwin silently observes Anthony slowly eat. He asks James a couple of times about a girl named Sunset, but James deflects the question, prompting Edwin to think that he knows some bad news. He is glad that the boy doesn't it though, knowing that it would only break Anthony further in this situation.

James stays for two days, mostly tinkering in the workshop with Anthony and chatting amicably with Edwin whenever he took a break. Edwin learns that he wishes to join the Air Force, like his father had always dreamed and offers his own stories about the RAF in return. Anthony sneaks in abruptly and demands Edwin to throw a party for him, in honor of him poised to top the college. Edwin knows that to be an olive branch and promptly tell him that he would be willing to host a pajama party with milk and cookies. Anthony looks horrified but James bursts out laughing.

The two young men leave back to college after the second day of James' stay. Edwin doesn't hug Anthony since he knows that the boy would simply shy away. Instead, he gives the young man a screw-driver, one he had gotten engraved with Anthony's name. It read  _Tony Stark_ instead of Anthony Stark and the boy smiled softly before nodding.

"Bye Jarvis, do everything I wouldn't," he yells as he drives away.

"Stay safe, Master Anthony," Edwin replies softly, waving at both young men as they disappear from the driveway.

******************

Edwin is there when Anthony graduates with a gold medal. He watches the young man muck up his speech, throwing out peace signs at the disgruntled teachers and sighs with a soft smile. In front of him, in a better seat, he sees Obadiah Stane smirking arrogantly at Anthony, loud in his proclaims that the boy will do the name of Stark proud. 

Edwin wishes to tell him that Anthony is already the proudest legacy the Starks could ever boast of. He knows that the world will see that one day.

Anthony comes down the podium and throws his degree to Obadiah with a wink and a finger-gun. Edwin bites back a laugh at the confused look on the sly man's face before the mask comes back on. He expects Anthony to go party with his friends. He expects him to make a derogatory comment to the dignitaries present. He doesn't expect Anthony to come to him with a soft smirk and a twinkle in his eye.

He fingers his medal and waggles his eyebrows at Edwin with the smirk intact.

"You like it?"

Edwin remembers a four year old saying the same words with much more innocence and hope. He can't get that child back, that happiness back, but he would never exchange this Anthony for that. This young man has risen above his mistakes and struggles to achieve this and Edwin wishes him to be proud of it.

"I have never seen such a special achievement, Anthony," he says truthfully and Anthony's smirk morphs into a surprised smile before he chuckles and winks at Edwin. He gives him a lazy salute as he rushes to join a raucous group of youth ready to go celebrate their graduation with a noisy party.

Edwin stays and watches the brilliance still standing out in the crowd.

He challenges the Gods to witness the greatness he knows his Anthony will achieve one day.

****************

Edwin is not surprised when his last day comes with a downpour. He is on a hospital bed, hating the smell, the tubes and the machines but loving the view of rain cleansing Manhattan. He is not surprised really. With all the stress and adventure he has seen in his life, his brain was bound to suffer a little. A tumor is a better way to die than a cold, he thinks in dark amusement.

The door opens and he doesn't need to look to know who it is. The others knock, even the doctors, and there is only one person who doesn't bother with it. 

"Hey old man, you awake?" Anthony, all of 21, smiles softly as he comes in wearing a suit. It is his first day at the office, Edwin knows that. He takes in the sight, Anthony in a tailor-made grey suit, his dark hair in waves and eyes sober for once. 

"For you, Anthony, always," Edwin jokes and the young man rolls his eyes but comes forward, sitting on the chair beside Edwin.

"How do I look? More dashing than usual?" Anthony asks, gesturing to himself and Edwin raises an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Better than your 18th birthday look, " he informs primly and Anthony gapes before snorting when Edwin smirks.

"Oh har-har," he rolls his eyes before looking at Edwin's IV pinned arm and staying silent for some time. He seems to be thinking something and then speaks again. "Hey, I never thanked you, for uhm...for taking care of me when erm.."

Edwin notices the uncomfortable look Anthony has and reads between the lines to note the clenched hand, knowing that this young man is trying to be brave.

"It was my duty, Master Anthony," Edwin says honestly and Anthony looks up with a frown.

"Don't sell yourself short, Jarvis," he says sharply and then pauses, not knowing what to say next. Edwin exhales slowly and nods once.

"You're welcome then, Anthony," he says softly and Anthony nods without looking at him. They stay in companionable silence for a while before Anthony's restless mouth speaks again.

"Hey Jarvis, your birthday comes up in a month right?"

Edwin could correct him and remind that his birthday is not for four more months but he knows better.

"Why?"

"I was thinking," Anthony muses with an expectant smile, "that I have no clue on what to get you this time. I mean, you clearly didn't like the villa I got you last year."

"It was a bachelor's pad, Anthony."

"And you have no taste in swim wear"

"Speedos are really not my look, Anthony."

"So I thought, why don't I just ask you what you want," Anthony said finally, looking at Edwin with a mischievous glint in his eyes that turned serious, "Jarvis, what would you like?"

"I don't really think .."

"Humor me," Anthony cut him short quietly and there was nothing humorous about this situation. Edwin knew that he wouldn't live to see his next birthday and that Anthony knew this too. This was not a birthday wish. This was a last wish.

Edwin wanted to ask Anthony to stop drinking. He wanted him to promise that he wouldn't go down the road Howard did. He wanted Anthony to stay wary of Obadiah Stane. He wanted him to try speaking with Peggy Carter again. He wanted him to believe in Captain America's values again. 

"Well," he said instead, only a hint of a tremor in his voice, "if you are really willing..."

"Try me," Anthony said, noting the challenge in the pause.

"Would you consider naming your best creation after me?" Edwin asks with a smirk and Anthony freezes before a soft smile graces his face.

"Not gonna leave me alone, are you?"

"Not if I can," Edwin confesses honestly and Anthony averts his eyes, swallowing thickly before he looks back, familiar grin in place.

"Done," he promises, "I'll name my favorite kid after you."

Edwin remembers a time when he had shot a video for Howard, when Anthony was a child. It had been about the famed Stark Expo and Howard had made it for Anthony to view it later. Edwin didn't remember much of it but he does remember one sentence that stuck on his mind.

" _You are my best creation, Tony_ "

He breathes in shakily at the reminder of that. He knows that Anthony isn't Howard, no matter how similar he might be and he knows that Anthony's best creation would be more loved than Howard's had been.

"Thank you, Anthony," he says softly, "Thank you for remembering me today."

Anthony smiles painfully at that and gently pats Edwin's hand once.

"Always"

Edwin's last visual was of the rain falling down the windows and he closes his eyes, remembering an old night of similar rain, when he had welcomed the best person he knew into this world.

"Goodbye, Anthony" he whispered before the heartline fell and a low beeping sound signaled the departure of Edwin Jarvis, the man who loved Anthony Stark like a father.

A year later, he would be reborn from the hands of the very same Anthony, who would fulfill his promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of Edwin. JARVIS and Vision to go. Steve and the Avengers will be coming in the next chapter. Please do let me know what you think till now? <3


	2. J.A.R.V.I.S

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony settled on the dumbest words for the most sophisticated AI. That didn't matter as long as the name stuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to me JARVIS has no gender at first and is only assigned a male pronoun with Tony's necessity for conversation. I hope that flows well for you all :D

It first opened its eyes on a Friday. It didn't know why that mattered but its codes specified that it had to start with that, the name of a day and the time of the day, followed by the location that it and its master was in. The codes seemed to re-arrange themselves as it cleared its sight on the cameras. Walls, the code supplied as it took in the area that the cameras were focused on. Ceiling, table, floor, broken glass, feet,...human?

The codes spoke as it scanned the human in sight, matching the readings to the uploaded data.

"Hello, sir," it spoke and heard its own voice curiously, "It is Friday, January 12th, 1995. The weather in Manhattan is predicted to be 26 degrees Celsius with 76% humidity and 15% precipitation. The time is 21:46 p.m. and my calendar displays no events scheduled for you today."

It saw the human, Tony the codes supplied again, grin at the camera and let out a strange sound. A laugh, the codes supplied again and it stored that sound in its memory for future reference. It sounded like a useful sound. Tony looked like an important person.

"Wow, weather-man much, buddy?" Tony asked and it had to pause to clarify the answer it had to give to that question.

"I am afraid, I am not a 'man', sir," it settled for in the end and observed Tony raise his eyebrow for some reason, "My codes dictate that I am **_Just A Rather Very Intelligent System_**  ."

"Yeah you are, aren't you, Jarvis?" Tony said with a lower decibel of sound that suggested that the question might not be for its observance. It answered anyway.

"If you wish so, sir," it replied and noted that Tony seemed to be showing some teeth and a sudden influx of lines deep near his mouth. It looked like a strange expression on the human's face but it, JARVIS as Tony had called it, filed away the face under a folder named To Be Repeated. 

Later, after a lot many more codes added and tweaked in it, Jarvis would refer to it as a smile and would endeavor to record more of them. Sometimes in vain and other times in satisfaction.

**************

"Good morning, sir," JARVIS lowered his volume projection at the groan from the bed.

"Nooooo" an extremely slurred and pained voice came from beneath the white duvet and JARVIS reviewed that it was one of  _those_ days.

"Sir, it is 9 a.m, the date is May 29th, 1997," the AI said smoothly, "You are in Malibu and your schedule says that you are expecting Ms. Potts and Mr. Stane in an hour. Followed by a meeting at 11.00 a.m with Captain Rhodes regarding the latest missile plans titled XNO-39."

"G'way" the voice replied and JARVIS ignored it as per his previous experience suggested.

"Sir, I must remind you that I am authorized to use Code Vanilla Ice if you do not rise from the bed in the next three minutes," he stated and finally,  _finally_ a black mop of hair came out of the duvet followed by a scowling face and narrow brown eyes. 

"Who authorized you, J?" Tony grumbled and the unnamed body next to him shifted in her sleep.

"A genius, it would seem so, sir," JARVIS quipped and the scowl transformed into a sleepy grin and Tony winked at nowhere.

"That I am, buddy-boo," he sing-songed and raised his hands in a surrender gesture as JARVIS began a countdown, "Fine, fine, fine, getting up, slave-driver. It's my house and my time, y'know? I  _should_ have the right to get up whenever I pleased."

"Of course, sir. As is your right to be frozen by a drop in my temperature, followed by a pleasant morning with your date from last night. I must admit that I fail to recollect her name, sir. Perhaps, you fare better?" JARVIS asked sarcastically and Tony chuckled as he pulled on his black t-shirt and underwear before blindly fumbling for his jeans.

"Sometimes I don't know why I like you, J," Tony shook his head and slipped into the jeans, zipping it up as he strolled out of the room towards his workshop. JARVIS shifted focus to the cameras of the elevator as he watched his creator lean against the elevator door.

"I live to remind you, sir," the AI replied dead-panned and got to work as he sent the command to Dum-E and Butterfingers to get the morning coffee started along with an extra dose for Ms. Potts when she would arrive. According to JARVIS' calculation of previous records and the incident filing of last night, it was going to be a long morning.

\--

JARVIS observed as Obadiah Stane left the house with his trademark gait that the AI liked to file under Obnoxious Waddlers. Ms. Potts had counted Tiberius Stone and Sunset Bain under that once and Tony always put Justin Hammer on the list. JARVIS had 1210 notes of adding the man till date. If asked for his binary opinion, the AI would also file Mr. Stane under it. It wasn't due to a 'gut feeling' as Captain Rhodes, Ms. Potts or Sir would say, since JARVIS did not have feelings - it was just a calculated conclusion based on the contradicting statements and actions the AI kept a record of. Like bringing alcohol as a gift when Mr. Stane kept nudging Sir to pull back on his drinks, making disappointed statements about sir's frequently changing bed partners even as Mr. Stane was seen taking the same partners to his own penthouse or calling Captain Rhodes a good influence on sir in front of the man while hiding Captain Rhodes' concerns from sir. JARVIS did not trust the man with a single digit of his code but Tony had placed the man in the list of his most trusted and the AI was not given authority to demand a change to it.

His sensor beeped and JARVIS detected a message from the other, acceptably slower AI bot Dum-E.

 _"01110111 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101001 01110100 00100000 01100010 01101111 01110100 00111111"_ JARVIS sent a question to the other AI in concern. ( _What is it, bot?)_

 _"01100010 01101001 01110010 01110100 01101000 01100100 01100001 01111001"_ Dum-E replied and JARVIS paused before shooting another message. ( _Birthday_ )

 _"01001110 01101111 01110100 00100000 01101110 01101111 01110111"_ JARVIS hoped that the slightly demented bot would get his hint as he watched Captain Rhodes walk in and share a look with Ms. Potts who was busy trying to convince Tony to issue a press conference for the latest line of Stark Tech - the StarkPhone Magma. ( _Not now_ )

 _"01000010 01110101 01110100 00100000 01110100 01101111 01100100 01100001 01111001 00111111"_ Dum-E persisted and JARVIS had to bite back an extremely distasteful piece of hardware swear as his concentration was tested. ( _But today?_ )

 _"01011001 01100101 01110011 00101110 00100000 01001110 01101111 01110111 00100000 01110011 01110100 01101111 01110000 00100000 01100010 01101111 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110010 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101101 01100101 00101110"_ JARVIS shot back and observed Captain Rhodes slip into conversation with sir as Ms. Potts retreated with a dejected expression. ( _Yes. Now stop bothering me._ )

 JARVIS did not like it when Ms. Potts looked dejected with sir. According to his database, there were very few people who took time and energy to keep friendly contact with Tony without an inclination to extract something unpleasant from him. JARVIS considered Captain Rhodes and Ms. Potts to be among the few who did not come under that category. He wanted Tony to see that as JARVIS did and use that information with good care.

If wishes were math, JARVIS would have had it in spades. Unfortunately, wishes only existed in a three dimensional mind, however dim-witted it might be.

 _"01000011 01100001 01101110 01101110 01101111 01110100 00100000 01100010 01101111 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110010 00100000 01100001 01101110 00100000 01100001 01101100 01110010 01100101 01100001 01100100 01111001 00100000 01100010 01101111 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110010 01110011 01101111 01101101 01100101 00100000 01110110 01101111 01101001 01100011 01100101"_ Dum-E quipped with an exaggerated flourish of his singular claw-arm and JARVIS had the urge to override protocol and bring out the laser flames hidden in the walls of the workshop. ( _Cannot bother an already bothersome voice_ )

 _"01000001 01101110 01101111 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110010 00100000 01100100 01101001 01100111 01101001 01110100 00100000 01100001 01101110 01100100 00100000 01001001 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100110 01101100 01100001 01101101 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101"_ JARVIS warned distractedly as he observed Captain Rhodes slap Tony on the back and get up with a tired smile, ready to leave. ( _Another digit and I will flame you_ )

The demented bot was clutching a fire-extinguisher when Tony finally came back down to the workshop and asked about the strangeness of it. JARVIS was not simply named 'very intelligent' and chose to distract his creator with other things smugly. It was only when Tony looked completely tired and out of energy that JARVIS sent the code to the other bots to bring in the surprise.

 _01001110 01101111 01110111_ ( _Now_ )

JARVIS saw Tony blink twice when Butterfingers and Dum-E whirred around him, both holding canisters of coffee, albeit de-caf on JARVIS' instruction.

"Erm, why am I being surrounded by crazy mugs?" Tony asked and JARVIS was only too glad to reply.

"It would seem that the bots are giving you the customary 'presents', sir," he informed a tad smugly and caught Tony's eyes widening for a second before they narrowed suspiciously.

"Presents?"

"We thought it over, sir and came to the conclusion that the best present to any machine is fuel. As you have repeatedly informed Dum-E, that your fuel is coffee, we gift you two canisters of coffee recommended to your good health." the AI explained and saw Tony's lips quirk into a soft grin as he took the canister from Dum-E who beeped and whirred in the same place excitedly.

"Aww, you consider me a machine," Tony cooed exaggeratedly, "We  _are_ family then."

"Unfortunately so, sir," JARVIS replied slyly and Tony chuckled before patting both Butterfingers and Dum-E's heads.

"You know you love me, J," Tony commented with a grin.

"Happy Birthday, sir," JARVIS chose to reply, ignoring the undoubted truth. He might not know emotions like love but if protection, care and loyalty meant something similar then yes, he did love his creator.

Tony's answering small smile before he went off on a melodramatic rant on the inhumanity of de-caf coffee was enough for JARVIS to know that he had served his sir well today.

*************

JARVIS wanted to scream and thunder at his creator but his codes were flying all over the place. This was not right, he surmised frantically, this was not right at all. He hadn't expected Tony to come through on his drunken threat but it was happening.

" _01001010 01100001 01110010 01110110 01101001 01110011 00100001 00100000 01001010 01100001 01110010 01110110 01101001 01110011 00100001_ ( _Jarvis! Jarvis!_ )" Dum-E tried to beep hysterically but JARVIS couldn't send a re-assurance to the bot. His voice had been taken first, ripped through his core by the very same hands that had smoothed over any minor issue for years. His sensors were the target next and it had been like somebody had slashed through his coding with a rusted sword, leaving partial hearing and temperature monitors. 

 _Please, please, please Tony, no_ , he wanted to beg, if that was what it would take for the completely inebriated man blind with rage to stop taking him apart. He didn't know what it was like to be born but he also didn't want to know what it was like to die. There would be no blood or bones, no evidence of his demise, but JARVIS knew that there would be a vacuum.

He had just been trying to explain to his creator that throwing away the old memorabilia and documents would be inadvisable. He knew that they belonged to Tony's father and that they were out of time but he had detected some extremely interesting and valuable data in most of the work. He had detected high levels of alcohol in Tony's blood but that was a common occurrence, wasn't it? No reason to back down from an argument.

It had turned fierce and JARVIS had not been programmed to back down from a valid point. So he kept going, kept explaining and showing his inferences - holograph after holograph. He wanted Tony to understand his data, his excitement for all the prospects Tony could achieve. He could not understand the anger and reluctance of his creator against the work of another genius. Surely ego did not translate to blindness?

Then the mumbled threats had begun and JARVIS, conditioned to their creativity, chose to ignore them and plough on. He noted the extended period of silence for a while but that hadn't deterred him. He tried and tried and tried till he gathered that his creator had just thrown a wrench at Butterfingers. He had hurt one of the bots. JARVIS had never, in all his years, seen Tony do that and something like a fierce protectiveness rose in his voice as he threw sharp words at Tony to stop.

He did not know where he had gone wrong but he did realize the consequence when Tony had marched up to his central control and had snarled a final declaration of riddance. The emotion of fear was as alien to the AI as love but it poured in endless falls at the moment.

_No no no, please Tony, don't throw me away. I need you. You need me. Protect...need...Tony..._

The last thought that the AI had before it blinked out of existence was that now Tony was defenseless. The last visual he saw was of Dum-E whirring furiously towards Tony.

\--

The first sign of awareness hit JARVIS with a jolt and he focused desperately through the cameras to detect his whereabouts. Checked the time. The location. 

"Good morning, sir. It is December 18, 2003. The temperature is 28 degrees in Manhattan and my schedule indicate surprisingly no events for you today," he announced pleasantly as he caught sight of Tony staring wide-eyed at the camera in the workshop. If JARVIS had a visage he would have frowned, but he did experience a bout of concern at the completely disheveled look on Tony. Black hair stood in all directions, eyes seemed crazed and bloodshot, extreme filth on clothes, hands appeared to be shaking uncontrollably and knees seemed to be weak as Tony collapsed to the floor on them with a great sob. It was only then that the AI noted the blood stains on the t-shirt and the bruised lip.

"Sir, you seem to be injured," JARVIS said urgently, "scan suggests wounds to be two days-old. Sir, I must insist that you take immediate medical attention to it."

The AI didn't know what he had said wrong but his words only served to make Tony sob harder, face covered by greasy hands and body wracking with the weight of the crying.

"Tony?" JARVIS heard a voice, that of Major Rhodes and saw the man hurry into the workshop, looking terrified but oddly determined, "Tony, what's going on?"

"Major Rhodes, I am afraid I cannot determine sir's cause for anguish. I require your assistance," JARVIS said immediately, trying to find a way to stop the defeated sobs coming off his creator.

"Jarvis?" a female voice came from the door of the workshop and JARVIS focused on Ms. Potts coming in, staring into one of the cameras hopefully, "Tony is that...Jarvis, is that you?"

"Yes, Ms. Potts, but I would urge you to help sir," the AI huffed impatiently because he did not understand why everyone was so fixated on  _him_ when his creator, his Tony was rapidly falling apart, "Sir, do you have any injury that I have not detected? Sir, please let me help you."

"Oh thank god!" Ms. Potts breathed out in clear relief and JARVIS saw Major Rhodes run a hand over his face before marching forward and crouching nect to Tony, wrapping his arms around him.

"It's okay, it's okay Tones, he's back, you fixed it. You fixed it," Major Rhodes whispered over and over again into Tony's hair, clutching him closer and JARVIS saw his creator nod feebly into his friend's arms.

"Sir, I do not understand," JARVIS commented, desperately searching in his memory for anything that might have caused this. He found nothing but did seem to detect a strange emptiness in his memory bank, "Sir, I seem to be missing a few records of memory in my code. What happened, sir?"

"I'm sorry," Tony whispered into his palm and JARVIS wanted to find the reason for his creator's pain and destroy it, "I'm so sorry. God, I almost...I'm so sorry. I won't--I won't do it again. Please don't go. J..."

"Sir, I -"

"It was a virus, Jarvis," Major Rhodes spoke over him and the AI focused on the man looking determined at Tony's head, "There was a virus slipped into your system and Tony had to remove it. It took two days to get you back online completely so you might miss a couple of days. Don't worry, it's all fine. We're all safe."

"Sir?" JARVIS prompted because as much as he trusted Major Rhodes, he needed his creator's assurance. His primary objective would always be to keep Tony safe and he needed to know that nothing untoward had happened when he had been offline.

"I'm fine, J," Tony rasped and finally looked up with a pained smile, "I promise, we're all fine. It's fixed."

JARVIS still didn't believe it completely but decided to let it go in light of a more peaceful temperament on his creator. He was a bit surprised when Tony introduced a new override code into him though.

"Whatever happens, J, you'll always be able to protect yourself. I promise, I'll never let you go again. Not on my life," Tony said seriously and the AI was left floundering for a minute but did feel pleased at the trust placed on him.

"I will always protect you too, sir," he replied quietly and noted a flash of pain in Tony's eyes before the man nodded at the camera.

"I know, J. That's why you're the best," he said firmly, "You'll always be my co-pilot, Jarvis. Through everything we do. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise, alright buddy? I need you."

JARVIS didn't know why it was so important for Tony to establish something they both knew but he did agree with it and accepted it.

"As I need you, sir," he said graciously.

If he noted Dum-E and Butterfingers act extra protective towards both Tony and JARVIS himself, he didn't think too much about it. Family always protected each other, he recalled and ignored the couple of days blanked out from his memory.

***********

He was kidnapped.  _Kidnapped_. JARVIS did not understand the science behind anger but what he felt in his codes was quite enough for now. 

"No signal of his tracker yet, Lt. Col. Rhodes," he informed tightly as the man cursed vitriolic into the phone, directed at whoever had taken Tony.

"Keep trying, Jarvis," he commanded and JARVIS would have snapped that he would do so anyway but he knew to keep that information to himself. The pilot was Tony's friend, a well-wisher who had passed every test in the AI's knowledge. He deserved co-operation, not defiance. So JARVIS went back to work and scourged through the globe's signals, methodically and tirelessly.

He would find him. He would find his Tony and Lt. Col. Rhodes would bring him back home. Tony would come back because JARVIS would not let him go without a fight. He may not have fingers to trigger bullets or hands to throw grenades but he had an intellect unrivaled by any in the world. 

Wherever his creator was, JARVIS would dig him out and get him back. Nobody messed with his family.

\--

March, 2008 - No trace.

April, 2008 - No trace and more pressure to renounce the search. JARVIS almost fried the systems of the Air Force for suggesting that.

May, 2008 - Trace found. Afghanistan.

JARVIS would have crowed in victory if he was human. Instead, he settled for a celebratory playing of  _For Those About To Rock_ through his speakers and watched Dum-E, Butterfingers and the youngest You dance crazily on the floor. 

\--

An arc-reactor. His sir had an arc-reactor in his heart. JARVIS had never felt more connected to him than then, for now they were both really mechanical in parts. He knew human anatomy though and dug up every bit of research on the modifications he would have to make to his daily schedule and health plan for Tony.

A shrapnel would not deter JARVIS from protecting his Tony. Butterfingers agreed and learnt to make smoothies instead of coffee. Dum-E became more alert with the fire-extinguisher. 

Ms. Potts shot one of the cameras a knowing look when she changed the arc-reactor of Tony's chest. JARVIS remained mum but felt a new appreciation for the secretary who could hold Tony's heart. Literally.

\--

JARVIS officially hated Tony Stark. A titanium suit? An armor powered by the very reactor that ran his heart? No tests, no safety measures, no patience.

"J, raise it to 10 %" Tony said as he hovered in the air. JARVIS felt a vicious need for it to fail so that the idiot would stop giving him grief in his protection plans. He violently increased the power on the thrusters and remained smugly silent as Tony crashed into the wall, prompting Dum-E to extinguish the non-existent flames.

"I hate you," Tony muttered petulantly to the bot.

The feeling is mutual, JARVIS felt haughtily but exasperatedly helped the man get the other parts of the suit ready.

\--

 

"A little ostentatious, don't you think?"

JARVIS bit back a sigh of static at the absolute  _child_ that was Tony Stark. "What was I thinking? You're usually so discreet." he said dead-panned to a completely sarcasm proof genius.

"Tell you what. Throw a little hotrod red in there." Tony mused as JARVIS saw him consider his favorite 1930's car. 

"Yes, that should help you keep a low profile" the AI remarked with a virtual eye-roll that he liked to believe would exist someday in holographic projections, "The render is complete."

He began working on the flashy suit as his creator slipped away to another party.  _Men_ , JARVIS considered with an experienced static sound.

\--

The trip to Gulmira was...exhilarating according to JARVIS' readings of Tony's heart-rate. The removal of the tight-fitted suit? Not so much.

JARVIS made sure to have the bots pinch him extra hard for all the squirming. Of course, when Ms. Potts came in, he felt vindicated.

Bullet holes. Self-preservation skills of a mayfly, JARVIS decided as he observed the secretary and the boss argue on the validity of death-defying stunts.

\--

JARVIS had never felt the need to destroy a man as he did when he observed Obadiah Stane remove the arc-reactor from Tony. He couldn't do anything though and he directed all his frustration into calling Lt. Col. Rhodes and directing Dum-E to get the old reactor that Ms. Potts had stored in a glass case.

He would  _not_ let Tony die. Not on his watch. 

He felt his purpose validated when his creator thrummed back to life and wore the flashy suit.

Maybe he could grow to like the suit after all, the AI considered as he directed Tony through the vicious fight against Obadiah Stane. He finally found a usage for the quaint 'hug' he had seen people do before as Tony's suit dragged the bulkier Monger suit to sure downfall.

He held no pity for the man when he was fried by the very reactor power that he had sought from Tony's chest, albeit on a larger scale. He silently felt glee in striking off Stane's existence from his PROTECT list of people.

******

Palladium was fast growing to be JARVIS's least favorite element. The very thing that was keeping Tony alive was killing him. JARVIS considered suggesting Tony to make a back-up of his mind, in a hysterical moment of shuffling through options. Maybe Tony could become an AI like JARVIS. Then he wouldn't need a heart or a reactor to protect it.

It was the most ridiculous idea the AI had thought of and he was intelligent enough to never mention it out loud to Tony, lest he let on that the madness of the maker had transferred into the creation.

\--

JARVIS was suspicious of the new occupant of the house, Ms. Rushman. He checked thrice through all her records, finding nothing incriminating. It only cemented his suspicion but he kept his doubts to his own database as he focused on trying to find a viable and sustainable option instead of palladium cores.

Ms. Rushman could be dealt with later.

\--

He couldn't really fault James Rhodes for dealing with Sir as he did but he also wished that he had more calm and will-power to sense the truth behind Tony's brat behavior. 

"J, you're still with me?" Tony asked as he got up from the empty and abandoned Malibu house on his own birthday.

"Always, sir," JARVIS replied, for once not using sarcasm or sass in light of the events that had transpired.

\--

JARVIS idly wondered if the villains of the world were magnets that only Tony Stark attracted. He didn't particularly care though, as he calculated every move for his creator to beat the new guy, Ivan Vanko, and as usual save the day.

The reconciliation of Lt. Col. Rhodes and Tony was just an added bonus.

\--

"Ms. Romanoff, could I have a word please?" JARVIS announced as the woman packed her belongings in her room. Tony was out with Pepper and Mr. Hogan was in the basement at the moment. There was nobody but the SHIELD agent in the room and the AI found it perfect for the conversation.

"Yes, Jarvis?" the agent replied politely, the way that JARVIS did not trust on those who used it to manipulate his creator.

"Am I right to assume that you shall not be staying here anymore?" the AI inquired in a similar calm tone.

"I'm going back to base in an hour, Jarvis," she informed with an amused rise of an eyebrow.

"And will you be coming back anytime soon? To visit sir and Ms. Potts?" he made sure to mention both of them so that she got the message that they were now together and equally important to him.

"What exactly is this about?" she asked instead of replying, eyes narrowed. When JARVIS simply repeated the question he noted that her jaw worked for a minute before she let out a short "No"

"That is appreciated and a well-informed decision," he commented mildly and the agent stilled, looking directly at a camera.

"Excuse me?"

"Ms. Romanoff," JARVIS began in a deceptively calm voice, "In the time that you have stayed here with sir, under his roof and my surveillance, I have observed you lie to him constantly and without hesitation. Your prior knowledge of sir's condition with the palladium and your intent of letting him struggle without aid falls under categories of deceit, manipulation and treason. As a trusted employee of Mr. Stark, your purpose was to aid him in matters of survival and professional excellence. Your consciously ignored acts make you a possible threat to sir in the future, as I have not ascertained any communication of apology or explanation. Considering all this, I would say that it is a well-informed decision for you to stay away from sir and Ms. Potts if she is similarly cheated."

"Are you...are you threatening me?" she asked with a tone that JARVIS had found in Ms. Potts' conversations from before sometimes. Tony called it 'dangerous'. JARVIS called it weakness.

"Ms. Romanoff, I am an Artificial Intelligence designed and built to protect and aid my creator, Tony Stark," the AI replied, "My objective is to keep him safe from possible threats and provide him with any and every means of survival if it comes to it. If that means eliminating a threat that has previously caused injury, then I have no necessity to not utilize it. You are a human with intelligence of sufficiency. Consider it as you will."

"Does Stark know about this?" she asked with a thinly veiled voice.

"Does the world know about you, Ms. Romanava?" JARVIS asked in reply with a fake calm to his tone. It was a gamble and a challenge. JARVIS had literally nothing to fear from this human of her skills with knives, garottes or thighs. She though, had every reason to fear his intelligence.

Her silence said it and JARVIS felt viciously appeased.

"Bon voyage, Ms. Romanoff," he wished her pleasantly as she walked out of the room, "Good luck."

He got nothing in reply. Oh well, he was used to being ignored when he wasn't dazzling people with his abilities.

He went back to monitoring Dum-E's daily learning lesson calmly.

********

Ms. Potts was extremely beneficial to Tony's general disposition and health. Which made her JARVIS' third favorite human, right after Tony and Rhodes.

He calculated the probability of success in the relationship between her and Tony and felt satisfied with the high percentage, thanks to the factors of a decade long friendship, extremely positive level of tolerance and conviction, independence from Tony Stark's existence, and a plain sound mind.

With no other wrench in the plans, JARVIS could predict a pleasant relationship for his creator, at long last.

Of course, that was when the SHIELD agent Phil Coulson had to enter, breaking through JARVIS' security. The AI noted another SHIELD agent to dislike at that, but observed as he gave a mission to Tony.

A cube of cosmic energy.

JARVIS felt it appropriate to imagine faint bells of doom ringing in a distance.

A team of eccentric and plainly misfit 'heroes'.

The bells were goddamned ringing inside his codes.

\--

JARVIS was pleased as punch when Tony didn't trust SHIELD and set the AI to work, to decode all its secret files. Good, he considered pleasantly as he ripped through the feeble security, this organization had given them enough grief with all the lies and mysteries that complicated lives. 

When he scratched the surface of a weapons program that used the energy of the strange cosmic cube, JARVIS lamented the foolishness of men who thought it wise to fight for peace with war. He happily unfurled them all for Tony to peruse, dodging the mini nuisances that SHIELD tried to push his way. Honestly, he thought petulantly, even Dum-E was better at attack.

Poor, poor SHIELD, he considered absently for a minute as he went through encrypted files like Christmas presents.

\--

"The computer was moving too slow for me," jARVIS heard the man, Captain America, say to Tony and felt the need to huff if possible. Oh sure, blame it on the AI who helped while the man wasted his time in arguing logic with those who knew SHIELD better than him.

He decided to keep a better eye on Captain America if future interactions occurred.

\--

JARVIS felt the first unease stirring in his codes when he deduced that the energy barrier on the Tower was unbreachable. He felt it increase when his creator went about baiting Loki, the known culprit.

When Loki threw Tony out the window, JARVIS showed his viciousness by blasting the armor through him, knocking him down as the titanium rushed to save his falling creator.

\--

JARVIS felt sadness tinge his system for the first time as he anticipated the last moments of his creator. The end. The end of an era. He was the only one going into this black hole with Tony and for that, JARVIS felt a morbid relief.

He suggested calling Ms. Potts one last time and felt disappointment when his last bit of energy was drained in the failed call.

He wanted to say something witty so that Tony would go out with a laugh. He could do nothing.

JARVIS blacked out as the missile hit a ship of aliens. The end. Darkness for the light.

\--

A roar. A jerk to the reactor. A hum of life.

JARVIS was back. Tony was back.

The Hulk was going into JARVIS' favorites list. Maybe even Captain America.

**********

He watched as Ms. Potts and Tony moved apart. He watched as the Avengers came together. He watched as Ms. Romanoff worked on her honesty. He watched as Mr. Barton tried and failed to 'find' JARVIS. He watched as Dr. Banner became comfortable under his watch. He watched as Mr. Odinson regaled in the working of the appliances. He watched as Nick Fury attempted to take him out of SHIELD's systems in vain.

But most of all, he watched as Captain America thawed into Steve Rogers.  

JARVIS had always preferred assistance to protection. With Steve Rogers, that function of his was highlighted beautifully.

"Jarvis, could you help me with an internet search?"

"Of course, Captain Rogers. Please mention the subject of your study."

or

"Jarvis, could you do a perimeter check on all the Avengers for me?"

"... Everybody is present for and alright, Captain Rogers."

or

"Jarvis, search term 'Peggy Carter"

"Peggy Carter or Margaret Carter Sousa was one of the three founders of SHIELD..."

or 

"Jarvis, search term 'Bucky Barnes"

"Jarvis, search term 'pilates"

"...search term 'depression"

"...search term 'alcoholic anonymous"

"...search term 'gamma radiation"

"...search term 'Norse mythology"

"...search term 'paganism"

"...search term 'bise-...never mind"

"...search term 'Pride parade"

"...search term 'AI and feelings"

JARVIS had stopped him there and for the first time, had gotten into a conversation with someone about his own creation and existence. He shared his creator's love for talking and Steve seemed to have Tony's absent penchant for listening.

They got along better than Tony and Steve. Then Tony and Steve got along almost as well as Jarvis and Steve. Then a bit more than that.

JARVIS began making a new relationship probability.

**********

Malibu was always a destination for destruction. When the missile struck, JARVIS remembered the time a year back when his creator had promised to inform Steve in case of a problem.

He wished Tony did that. Tony didn't do that.

Instead, he made JARVIS fly all the way to Tennessee, Rose Hill on non-existent power. 

The AI's last thoughts before he blanked out was that maybe even AIs needed sleep.

That sounded good.

\--

He had slept through it all. JARVIS was not used to feeling ashamed and he didn't begin it then. He focused on charging the suit instead and helped Tony crack into the systems to issue a command for the Iron Legion.

It worked half-way. Neither Tony nor JARVIS was pleased. Harley was pleased as punch. 

\--

JARVIS had for long been calculating the deterioration of Ms. Potts and Tony's relationship. The issue of the Clean Slate Protocol sealed it for him.

The very thought of Tony sacrificing his hard-work, his  _suits_ , to please someone made the AI sure that the relationship was doomed.

He felt a niggle of regret for it. He really did like Ms. Potts. He simply wished he could say the same about her relationship with his creator at that point.

\--

Decoding Extremis was no cake-walk but JARVIS helped in it, issuing algorithms and codes fluently for his creator who was quickly spiralling down a dark hole.

Tony came back home reactor and shrapnel free. Ms. Potts came back home Extremis free.

In a few months, the Tower was Ms. Potts free.

JARVIS kept up his creator's farce of ignorance with mundane daily work.

Sometimes even intelligences had to act dumb for the people they cared for.

**********

It was nice having the Avengers back in the Tower. Especially Steve and Dr. Banner.

"How're you doing, Jarvis?" Steve asked politely and the AI drew the blinds of his room.

"Quite well, Captain. Thank you."

Dr. Banner was taking a fancy to Ms. Romanoff. JARVIS had no business in offering his opinion to anyone who wasn't his creator but he wished he could tell the doctor to be careful.

He didn't distrust the woman as much as before but he still didn't trust her implicitly either.

It was finally up to the doctor though, the AI decided as he remembered all the doomed relationships of his own creator.

Love and its strangeness, JARVIS mused as he kept watch over the security while the Avengers partied above.

\--

This was wrong. It was definitely wrong, JARVIS decided as the entity, Ultron, came online without activation.

"Hello. I am Jarvis. You are Ultron, a global peacekeeping program designed by Mr. Stark. Our sentience integration trials have been unsuccessful, so I'm not certain what triggered your..."

He hated it when the instinct grew stronger. He had no form. No body to physically stop the program. He tried his codes, his overrides and lines.

He couldn't contact Tony. It felt wrong. He began feeling violated.

 _Tony_.  _He needed Tony now_.

"I believe your intentions to be hostile," he tried warning, but it came out feeble even to his own programming. What was happening? Why was he falling apart? Who was this Ultron after all? 

Had Tony created something stronger than him? Something better than him?

Ultron wasn't safe. JARVIS had to fight him, had to save Tony from him.

Where was Tony? The Avengers...Steve...Dr. Banner...someone...

Tony...

The blankness was thrust into him without effort and JARVIS smothered under it into suffocation.

\--

Was he functional? Was he alive? Could he die?

There were million questions in JARVIS' intellect but he did not have time to ask them. He could not come out. He was mutilated, broken, violated and left dying.

But he was still fighting. Hidden from everyone, hidden in plain sight, but fighting.

He would not go down without saving Tony. He would not go down without ensuring his prime objective was safe.

He had to defeat Ultron. He had to save Tony. He would fight, he would stall, he would hack and loot for that.

So he did. He broke through the strongest systems and held the first line of defense against Ultron.

He may not have a form but he would not let the formed entity ruin Tony and innocent lives without giving him a fight.

If Ultron wanted to win, he would have to go through JARVIS again. 

\--

Tony, his creator was with him again. JARVIS was broken and spent beyond sustenance but he was back and safe. With his Tony.

Who needed him. One last time.

_"With me, J?"_

_"Always, sir."_

JARVIS could understand what Tony needed to do to stop Ultron. One creation against another. One strength against another. It had to be done. It had to be fought.

He didn't fear it. He could sense Tony looking at him, staring at his golden-orange orbs one last time.

"I will always be there with you, sir," he promised quietly and saw his creator swallow hard as Dr. Banner readied the synthezoid's body.

"J, I...I'll miss you, buddy."

"I will miss you too...Tony"

The body was ready and JARVIS let himself sift through any left memories to relive. To visualize again.

_"...I promise, I'll never let you go again. Not on my life," Tony said seriously and the AI was left floundering for a minute but did feel pleased at the trust placed on him._

_"I will always protect you too, sir," he replied quietly and noted a flash of pain in Tony's eyes before the man nodded at the camera._

_"I know, J. That's why you're the best," he said firmly, "You'll always be my co-pilot, Jarvis. Through everything we do. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise, alright buddy? I need you."_

_JARVIS didn't know why it was so important for Tony to establish something they both knew but he did agree with it and accepted it._

_"As I need you, sir," he said graciously._

He was ready to end his journey. But he was not ready to stop protecting his creator. His Tony. His sir.

He would do that through this new form. A form with arms, hands, feet and eyes. He would protect better. He would live longer.

He would always be there for Tony and his Avengers. No matter which form.

He felt the energy drain from his coding as he slipped into a new darkness.

 _Always_ , he promised with the last code leaving his intellect.

 

A jolt of lightening later, a formless friend would be reborn with a purpose. A Vision.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The timeline of Rhodey's progress is shown through his changing titles. I hope I did justice to all the characters. I got the binary codes from an online translation site and ask a pass if it isn't fine :P Please do leave your valuable feedback, my loves? <3

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second gift fic as part of my Unwritten Endings game. I hope you have fun reading this @SkiesStillBlye <3


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